A Better Future
by Itchking of Angmar
Summary: Things would have been so different had Lily been a Seer...
1. Where it began

Author's Note: I really like this plot. Please review if you like it!

Summary: Things would have been so different had Lily been a Seer…

A good beginning for this story would be having Lily Evans become Lily Potter, but I'm not going to do that. Why? It's conventional and sentimental. Instead, I shall start at the _real_ beginning, and when I get to the end, I'll stop.

So, the beginning:

11-year-old Lily Evans woke up from one of her dreams again. She sat bolt upright, her dark red hair messy and slightly tangled around her shoulders. She looked around her butter-yellow bedroom, from her plain wood bookshelves to her sky-blue muslin curtains. She smoothed out her white night dress instead of sighing with relief that it was all just a dream, because she couldn't. It wasn't just a dream.

Lately her dreams had been coming true. Once she dreamt that Petunia would slip on a puddle of lemonade in the kitchen at around 2 P.M. It happened about 3 days later. She never could understand how this happened (of course not), but what she did understand was that she liked the visions in which the nosy little neighbor boy would be sent to the hospital. This happened twice already. Lily giggled to herself.

This was not the only thing that happened. She could sometimes make people or objects do things whenever she was angry or scared. She could make things happen the way she _wanted_ it to happen. Or, at least, that's what it felt like. Once she swore that a bluebird was actually talking to her.

She never told her parents, for fear of having herself sent to some institution. She didn't want Tuna (this is what Lily called her sister behind her back… and in her face as well, now that you mention it…) bragging that _her_ prediction had come true. "I've always said that," Lily imagined she'd say. "She'd go to the asylum one of these days." But of course this was a joke, and the sisters got on well, with only one year in their age gap. Both girls did well in school. Petunia was a gossipy cheerleader, though, while Lily was on the soccer/football team. The sisters were the best of friends.

That all changed when summer had rolled around.

It was a typical day, actually. Lily and Petunia were playing with the kittens, training them to fetch and play dead. Their parents watched in amusement as the white kitten, which was trying to play dead, accidentally rolled down the hill upon which the Evans residence rested. Lily laughed as she attempted to rescue the rolling, panicking feline. Petunia rolled as well, in her laughter.

"I'll go get some more drinks," Mrs. Evans said, heading into the house. A few minutes later, there was a crash, and Mrs. Evans screamed for Lily. The redhead ran inside, hoping to find her mother in one piece. As a consolation (though she _was_ still whole), Lily found her with this huge, almost insane, smile. Still grinning, Mrs. Evans gave her daughter a bit of what looked like 19th century parchment.

_Dear Ms. Evans,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall,_

Deputy Headmistress 

There was another piece of parchment attached to this letter. Lily found that there were many things that one needed in this supposed "magic school". She always thought one would just need a wand, some fancy costume and a top hat—and perhaps the classic white rabbit—to become a magician.

It was very hard for this to sink in. All those odd things that had been happening… was that what they were called? Magic? Was this maybe another dream, in which she was measuring, in tangible degrees, her mother's sanity? 'No,' she thought. 'And even if it was a dream, it'd come true sooner or later anyway.'

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"They're actually _proud_," Lily confided to Petunia in her room. "It's a cool thing to be," her sister replied. "I mean, _I_ wish I could see the future. As for the bluebird, I'll be satisfied with Vernon talking to me," she finished.

"You mean that fat football player?"

"He's not fat, he has big bones!"

"Whatever you say, Tuna."

"Stop calling me that. And anyway," Petunia began, "imagine! All the possibilities! I mean, you'll pretty much be trained to use and control your 'powers', right? It's not anything bad, I think. Maybe, in that world, magicians have better jobs!" Lily knew Petunia was thinking about those fast-food joint jobs. Neither of the sisters wanted to work for anybody but themselves. "Evans Sisters, CEO's!" they used to say.

"You're absolutely right, Tuna."

"Stop that!"

A/N: Don't worry, I _will_ fit in the Petunia-hates-Lily thingy later.


	2. Now what?

Author's Note: Please R & R!

Summary: Things would have been so different had Lily been a Seer…

Lily woke up with almost no recollection of the previous day. She just woke up with, of course, the regular bad breath and the greatest urge to go to the bathroom but not get up. Then she remembered. She could just make the bathroom come to her and not the other way around. She giggled again. She always managed to make herself laugh, not out of conceit, but she was really a funny person.

But Lily got up anyway.

She came down to breakfast in about five minutes, having a rather delighted Petunia greet her (apparently that Vernon boy "remembered" her from school and sent her a letter) and hot pancakes put on her plate. "Morning, Tuna,"—"Stop that!"—"Thanks, Mama."

"You're very welcome, Lily. This morning I sent a letter to that Professor McGonagall, asking her some questions…" Mrs. Evans started. Lily sat bolt upright, eager to find out what she could about her unique abilities. "A witch or wizard, such as yourself, goes to a school, like Hogwarts, to learn more about your abilities and to, as she said, enhance them." Lily remembered what Tuna had said last night. What their mother had just said was basically an extended version.

"Lily," Mr. Evans said, sounding grave but not displeased, "this is your choice. Professor McGonagall says you can say no if you don't want to go. But as your father, I really feel that you have that choice. And she sent a letter to you." With that, he handed her yet another piece of parchment.

_Dear Miss Evans,_

_I suppose you will find it strange that I am writing to you personally, but this is essential for you to know. Whether or not you go to Hogwarts is your choice, and it is yours alone. (Unless your parents decide for you.) You have, as I said in my previous letter, until July 31st—that is three weeks from now—to decide._

_Please consider that the Wizarding World may one day be in great need of a person who has ability such as yours; and nobody else can have those, even if they try impersonating you. There are limits, you know, even with magic. Trust me on that._

_Sincerely,_

_Professor McGonagall_

_P.S. If you want to know where to get your books and other things, go to London. If there is a small pub that only you seem to see, go through that and you'll find some more answers there!_

"Now what?" she said to herself. She seriously thought about going. It sounded interesting, but what if it was one of those things where you couldn't ever turn back? Lily looked around at the kitchen. She might never see that familiar atmosphere again… no silver-and-black stove… no black tiled sink and counter… no wine-red cabinets… and worst of all, the family in it, including the kittens…

"Excuse me," she finally said aloud. She walked past a prancing Petunia, up the stairs and into her room. She sank onto the bed. Indeed, now what? Lily reached under her bed and pulled out a yellow notebook. Her name was on it, in bold blue letters. This was her diary.

She didn't write in it often. It was one of those things she kept for "emergencies" such as times, like this, in which she could not come to a decision. Lily got out her purple pen, and began to confide in her diary.

_This is SO complicated… no, really. I mean, how many times in your life will you encounter something like this? It's not as if it happens everyday. Okay, maybe to the wizards, it does… but this is just surreal. I mean, if I choose to go… great, right? I get to develop my powers and learn some new things. I can do basic things now. And I'm sure they'll teach other things in magic school. But what if nothing's ever the same again? What if I lose my old friends?_

_But if I don't go, I'll probably die of curiosity of what might-have-been. And what if the magical world DOES need me one day. To top things off, I'm bored and Tuna's currently fawning over Vernon Dursley, the one and only obese jock on this planet._

Lily stopped and closed the notebook. Then she scribbled something on the back of Professor McGonagall's letter, tied it to the leg of the owl (which had followed her into her room) and sent it out the window.

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A/N: Please review! Did you like this chapter? It doesn't have a lot going for it, though.


	3. On her way

Author's Note: Please R & R!

Summary: Things would have been so different had Lily been a Seer…

Lily, having sent her answer to Professor McGonagall, sank again onto her bed. She knew she had made the right decision, the right choice. She had considered all the consequences. She was aware that, in many things in life, such as this, one option can change everything, and most of the time, there is no turning back. That's exactly what it was. It was a now-or-never, this-or-nothing verdict, in which she had said:

_Professor,_

_It has been a very challenging thing, choosing whether or not would I go to Hogwarts. I thought about it, and the possible consequences, and I find that I do want to go, although I may never see my family again. (?) I would like to thank you for accepting me as a student. I hope I do well!_

_Lily Evans_

_P.S. Could somebody from the school accompany me around London? Just so I'll be able to find my way around. Thanks._

_L.E._

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_I hope I made the right choice! I can't bear the tension. I mean, I'll miss Tuna so much. I wonder if I get to come back home? I'll definitely bring this with me… a small token from home… this is all so much to think about! Leaving home, studying far away, not seeing Tuna; I didn't think this would happen. At least not for another ten years._

_I hope I'll make friends… that sounds so sad, doesn't it? Like I never did! But what if I'm an oddball? What if everybody else has wizard parents and I'm left out? Surely I can't be the only one like this…ugh…_

Lily closed her diary. She was excited, and yet she was afraid. She would be going to London the day after tomorrow! This, which anyone could admit, is a lot for an eleven-year-old girl to handle.

There was a knock.

"Come in," said Lily.

It was Petunia.

"Hi," she said, coming in with a tray. "I thought you might want to have lunch up here. I didn't want to be stuck with Mum and Dad talking about politics and goodness knows what else… so here I am, with lunch." Lily smiled. Her sister was always thinking of her. That was probably what she would miss the most… "Thanks," she said, interrupting her own thoughts. After a pause Petunia, with a mouthful of sandwich, said, "What were you doing before I came up?" Lily sighed. "I was writing in my notebook. And wondering whether I'd get to see you guys during my schooling."

Petunia made a face that simply screamed, "Don't think that!" though her reply was, "Of course you'll get to see us! They can't be so mean as to take you away from us forever!"

Just then, Petunia disappeared.

So did the bed.

And the tray, too.

And the curtains.

Everything around Lily just turned into white void.

Then black.

Then white again, except now there were seven people: 4 boys and 3 girls, and they all looked Lily's age. They were also wearing black uniforms with red-and-gold neckties.

Two of the boys had messy black hair; they also looked rather haughty. The other two boys had brown hair, though one looked rather mouse-y and the other looked sensible and intelligent.

All the girls looked friendly. One had braided blond hair, another had tied-back brown hair, and the third was Asian with straight black hair.

The black suddenly came again, and then faded away into the familiar colors—and sister—of Lily's bedroom. She actually found herself lying spread-eagled on the floor, and Petunia squeaked in panic. "Lily!" she cried, "Are you okay? Lily!"

Lily pulled herself up. "I'm okay, Tuna." ("Don't call me 'Tuna'!") Petunia sighed worriedly. "Was it a vision?" she asked gravely.

Lily nodded. "What did you see?" asked her sister. She shared everything she had seen with Petunia. "They must be your classmates!" she exclaimed. "Was one of the boys cute?"

Lily shook her head in amused exasperation. 'Tuna,' she thought, 'always boy-crazy!' "Well," she began, "two of them. One had black hair and hazel eyes"—"Ooh!" cried Petunia, as Lily made a face at her—"and the other had brown hair with matching eyes. He looked tired, but…

"So wonderful."

A/N: OOH! How will THIS end up, huh?


End file.
